Scene at the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians as part of the APPF-26 (Photo APPF26 organising board) Hanoi (VNA) - The Meeting of Women Parliamentarians of the 26th AnnualMeeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) opened in Hanoi on January18, seeking ways to promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girlsfor sustainable development and shared prosperity in the region.
Openingthe function, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the APPFwas formed in 1993, but the first meeting of women parliamentarians first tookplace at its 24th Annual Meeting hosted by Canada in 2016 under Indonesia’sinitiative.
Thesecond edition was held at last year’s APPF annual meeting in Fiji, she added,noting that the event has offered women parliamentarians from APPF members theirown forum to discuss common concerns, form a network, and increase theirpresence and influence.
Thetop legislator, who is also APPF Chair for 2017 – 2018, said the APPF-26expects to make the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians an annual mechanism viaamendments to the APPF Rules of Procedure.
Nganstated that gender equality is a consistent policy of Vietnam with the Constitutionand Law of Gender Equality acknowledge equal rights on all aspects for allcitizens, men and females alike.
TheVietnam National Assembly has actively contributed to realising gender equalitygoals of Vietnam and of the APPF, she stressed.
One of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals is to touch upongender equality while the other goals set specific targets for gender issuesand address the gender-based aspects of poverty, hunger, healthcare, education,employment, climate change and more, said Truong Thi Mai, head of the CommunistParty of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation.
“Thisstrong focus on gender issues is a recognition that gender equality andempowerment of women and girls are key to each and every one of the goals,” shesaid.
Membereconomies of APEC are also concerned with the issue of gender equality, Mai added.
“At the 25th APEC Economic Leaders´ Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam, APEC leadersalso acknowledged greater economic participation by women spurs economicgrowth, and encouraged economics and the private sector to implementinitiatives that enhance women´s economic empowerment, improve women´s accessto capital, assets and markets, increase women´s participation in high-growthand high-wage sectors, and promote women´s leadership, entrepreneurship, skillsand competencies”, she noted.
Maistressed that parliaments must play a key role at the national andinternational level to represent and advocate for women’s rights, exerciselegislative power to contribute to extensive legal changes to ensure women´srights in each jurisdiction, make sure budget allocation are gender-responsive,and monitor the implementation of relevant regulations, policies and importantdecisions related to gender equality.
Themeeting heard presentations and discussion from representatives of APPF membersin a bid to encourage APPF women parliamentarians to engage deeper in thedecision-making process, and join hands to promote gender equality in theirnations and in the region for shared prosperity and development.
Lastinguntil January 21, the APPF-26 features four plenary sessions on the topics ofpolitics-security, economics-trade, regional cooperation in Asia-Pacific, andthe future of APPF.
TheAPPF was officially formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 1993. The forum now gathers 27members.
The APPF is a mechanism that enablesparliamentarians to discuss issues of common concern, and to deepen theirunderstanding of the region and the interests and experience of its diversemembers. The forum’s proceedings address political, security, economic, socialand cultural issues, thus furthering regional cooperation and buildingrelations between and among parliamentarians from the Asia-Pacific region.-VNA
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